Jason is talking shit as usual.

  “Look at Carmen Gutierrez,” he whistles, “She’s so fine. Was she always that fine, Eddie? How did I never notice how fine she is.”

  Eddie squints across the field. Carmen Gutierrez is on the other end of the running track, jogging nguidly in a baby tee and athletic shorts. She does indeed look so fine, chest thrust forward, long tan legs gleaming in the hot sun.

  “You dated Carmen for like two months,” Eddie says.

  Jason sighs, “Yeah, in eighth grade. Before she, y’know. Blossomed.”

  Eddie crinkles his nose in distaste. Jason doesn’t notice, still gazing after Carmen as she rounds the far corner of the track. Without breaking his eyeline, Jason reaches for a water bottle, pops the cap and takes a greedy sip. It’s Eddie’s bottle.

  “Dude,” says Eddie, Jason wordlessly passes him the bottle. Eddie scowls and rubs the lip with his shirt, “Maybe she’d wanna date you again if you weren’t such an asshole.”

  Jason looks up at Eddie, faux-hurt on his face. He looks faintly ridiculous, sprawled out on the bleachers, one foot in Eddie’s p, puppy dog eyes shining.

  “I’m not an asshole,” he pouts, “I’m a nice guy.”

  “Uh-huh,” Eddie takes a sip of water and searches for the bottlecap.

  “I just have a lot of love to give,” says Jason, and crunches his body up to pass Eddie the cap. He smirks, “Hey Columbine.”

  Eddie gnces down to the track, where Chris Werner is jogging by. Sure enough, he’s wearing his customary bck hoodie, the hood pulled low over his face despite the te spring heat. He flips Jason off and picks up the pace.

  Jason shakes his head, “Don’t come to school tomorrow."

  “But you’re not an asshole,” Eddie says.

  Jason grins at him, squinting a little in the sun. It’s unfair how good-looking he is, and it’s even worse how much he knows it. Even id out on the bleachers with his foot in his friend's p, he’s the picture of effortless cool. His dark hair always falls in the perfect messy curls. His clothes always fit just right on his lean frame, like his and Eddie’s moms don’t shop at the same Kohl’s.

  It’s a type of cool Eddie can never match, no matter how much he tries to dress like him, or how long he spends in the mirror messing with his hair. He’s always a little off – too pudgy, too awkward, too anxious. But Jason puts up with him anyway.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” Jason points out.

  “What?” says Eddie.

  “Carmen Gutierrez,” says Jason, “Isn’t she fine?”

  He’s watching her again, and Eddie follows his gaze. Carmen’s made it onto their side of the track now, still about a hundred yards away. Even from here Eddie can see the way her chest bounces as she runs.

  “Yeah, she’s hot,” says Eddie, “But I thought you were going out with Alison.”

  Jason makes a face, but before he can say something he’s cut off by a harsh voice calling his name.

  “Sandoval!”

  Eddie tenses, but Jason waves casually down to their assistant principal, Mr Pendergast.

  “Hey Mr P,” he says, “You watch yourself in this heat.”

  “Funny, Sandoval,” Pendergast scowls, “I see the rest of your css is running ps while you’re fooling around with your little friend.”

  Eddie grits his teeth. Pendergast has always been a dick, and while the other teachers have cut them some sck in the final months of senior year, Pendergast has only gotten worse.

  “Twisted my ankle,” Jason says. He raises his foot, and Eddie’s dismayed to see the icepack has left a damp patch on his shorts. “Eddie’s helping me keep it elevated.”

  Pendergast’s mouth twists, and for a moment he locks eyes with Eddie. Eddie’s stomach drops and he quickly looks away. Pendergast must be satisfied with the show of deference, because he wanders off to harass some other student. Eddie lets out a breath, then nudges Jason’s foot off his p.

  “Look, man…” he mutters.

  “Aw,” says Jason. He lies back on the bench, “You got all wet.”

  Eddie huffs and tosses the icepack at him. Jason catches it easily.

  “So you ended things with Alison?” says Eddie, “I thought she was your prom date.”

  “Well…” Jason tries to look contrite, but he can’t quite hold back the cheeky smile dimpling his cheeks. “You agreed Carmen is super hot, right?”

  It takes a moment for it to click, then Eddie gasps, “No, Jason.”

  “It’s these girls, man,” Jason ughs breathlessly, “I can’t help it.”

  “You fucking are an asshole, Jason,” Eddie groans, “Tell me you’re kidding.”

  “Carmen!” Jason calls out, “Looking good, baby!”

  Eddie covers his face with his hands. Sometimes he feels lucky a guy as cool as Jason is willing to be his friend, and sometimes it's very much the opposite.

  Carmen screeches to a halt, fury in her eyes.

  “You piece of shit, Jason Sandoval!” she yells up, “Do you think girls don’t fucking talk to each other?”

  “We were just talking about you,” Jason calls back, “Eddie was saying how good you look today.”

  Eddie smacks him on the leg. Jason winces and shakes it out like a dog.

  “Shut up, Eddie,” Carmen snaps. Her brow furrows, “Ew. Did you piss yourself or something?”

  “No!” Eddie snaps his legs shut.

  “He gets nervous around pretty girls,” Jason says. Eddie smacks him again. Jason ughs and rolls over, plopping down to the next step.

  Carmen has wisely chosen to ignore his shenanigans and powers onwards.

  “Not seeing anyone,” she snarls, fshing finger quotes up at them, “Not seeing anyone. Except you fucking asked Allie to prom, you piece. Of. Shit!”

  “We’re probably not going anymore,” Jason offers, “If you’re interested.”

  Eddie closes his eyes. Even for Jason, this is shameless.

  Surprisingly, when Carmen speaks it’s not the eruption of rage Eddie expected. Instead there’s a lilt of triumphant smugness to her voice.

  “Oh, you’re definitely free for prom,” Carmen says, “Because we do talk to each other, Jason. And the girls of Walterville High have decided you’re not taking anyone to prom. Asshole.”

  “What?” says Jason.

  “You’re persona non grata for the rest of the year,” Carmen juts her chin up proudly. “Isn’t that right, Kiesha?”

  Kiesha Readey runs past, braids bouncing against her shoulders. She looks up but doesn’t break stride, “Kill yourself, Jason!”

  “Kill yourself!” Carmen agrees, and takes off after Kiesha. Eddie can hear the two of them cackling.

  Jason lies back for a moment, frowning. Eddie waits nervously. This isn’t the first time Jason’s had girl trouble. It’s not even the first time a girl has told him to kill himself. But it’s pretty bad. Jason closes his eyes, and for a few seconds his handsome face looks troubled. But then he sits up and winks at Eddie.

  “I think my ankle’s feeling better,” he says, hopping to his feet, “C’mon.”

  He springs down the bleachers. Eddie rolls his eyes, picks up the icepack and follows him back to Coach Tiernan’s office. On the way there they run into Becky Fineman, who is smoking. Jason compliments her eyeliner, and she smiles at him until she remembers herself and mutters a hasty “Fuck off.”

  It’s musty in Tiernan’s office, and almost hotter than outside. Eddie puts the icepack back in the minifridge. He keeps the freezer door open for a while, cooling his face. Jason sits on the edge of Tiernan’s desk.

  “They’re serious about prom, huh?” he says.

  “I guess so,” says Eddie.

  “Good,” Jason says, “Good for them, man. That’s feminism.”

  Eddie can’t help but ugh. Of course Jason’s fine with it. Nothing’s ever a problem.

  “So you’re not mad you’re missing prom?” he asks.

  “Nah,” says Jason, “You were gonna miss it too, right? I’ll come hang out with you. We can py Goldeneye.”

  “Oh. Yeah,” says Eddie, “I guess that’s cool.”

  Jason's not wrong. That is pretty much Eddie's pn for prom night. His usual pn, honestly, so it's not unfair that Jason guessed as much. It still kinda hurts that he didn't even bother asking if Eddie had a date. Eddie could have a date, if he really wanted to. He’s kissed girls. He knows a couple off the top of his head who would probably say yes if he asked them out. But prom means renting a tux, and dancing, and a bunch of other awkward uncomfortable shit. Easier to skip it.

  The freezer air is chilling the sweat on Eddie’s forehead, and he wipes it away.

  “You gonna be able to cope?” he quips, “Spending prom night pying video games instead of hooking up.”

  “Hmm,” Jason considers it, “I'll probably just hook up with you.”

  Eddie's hand slips on the freezer door and he almost cracks his head on the top of the minifridge. He straightens up, smming the door closed.

  “Funny,” he says.

  “I'm serious, Eddie,” says Jason, and Eddie doesn't like the way he says his name. It's way too earnest for what is obviously, definitely, still a joke, “Forget senior prom. You can be my date.”

  “Two problems,” Eddie crosses his arms, staring Jason down, “I'm not a girl. And I'm not fucking gay.”

  Jason shrugs, irritatingly unbothered. He's still perched on the edge of Tiernan’s desk, with some stupid smug look on his face like he’s figured something out.

  “I didn't say you were gay,” he says, “And I'm not gay, dude, you know that. But I think you'd be fun to make out with, Eddie. You remember when we were kids, we would always py pretend…”

  Eddie knows where he's going with this, and a sick pit is growing in his stomach. Jason's not joking, he's actually not joking, and Eddie can't think of anything to say except, “Shut up.”

  “You remember you always wanted to be the princess?” Jason says. Eddie's face burns with humiliation. There's no trace of mockery in Jason's voice, which makes it worse somehow.

  Eddie's throat feels tight. He drops his hands and starts for the door. Jason catches him by the wrist, rising from the desk.

  “Hey, Eddie,” he says gently, “Just try one time.”

  “I’m not…” Eddie yanks his arm free, but Jason pces his hands on Eddie's shoulders, smoothly guiding him back to the desk. Eddie leans reluctantly against the edge and Jason posts up next to him. He leans in, eyes gleaming with intensity.

  “Just one kiss, dude,” Jason says softly, “You think our friendship can't take this? Just kiss me one time, and if you don't like it, that's cool, and I'll find some college girl to take to prom.”

  Eddie scoffs and looks away, but Jason's still got one hand on his shoulder and he can feel it burning into his sweaty skin. Firm. Hot. He slowly turns back.

  Jason draws in further, halving the distance between them. His eyes are wide, earnest, deep brown pools brimming with innocence. Like he hasn't fucked half the girls in the cheer squad. Like he isn't a total asshole.

  Eddie’s stomach turns, and as much as he wants to pretend it's from disgust he knows it's something much more scary. His eyes drop to Jason's lips, and Jason notices, and smiles, that same cheeky smile that's hooked so many girls. Eddie's getting hooked just like them, he realizes. How many times has Jason offered just one kiss? Is this the same move he used on Carmen Gutierrez?

  Eddie takes a slow, shuddering breath, then leans forward.

  Jason pulls back and ughs, “You were actually gonna kiss me, you fag.”

  Eddie’s blood turns cold, but it's just for a moment before the mocking smirk drops off Jason's face and he smiles warmly again.

  “I'm just kidding,” Jason says, and leans forward and kisses him.

  Jason's lips are soft, not as soft as the girls Eddie’s kissed, but certainly nothing to compin about, and his tongue is in Eddie’s mouth before he knows it. It's a lot of tongue, pressing deep into Eddie's mouth, filling him up. It’s so different to the type of kissing Eddie’s used to, cautiously probing into girls, waiting to see how they respond. Jason is going for what he wants, and what he wants is… him.

  Eddie cautiously sucks on Jason’s questing tongue and he hums with approval, and then he's adjusting their position, pushing Eddie higher onto the table and maneuvering himself between his legs. It's startling how quickly he’s opened Eddie up, parting his lips and his thighs in an instant. But it's not… it's not bad. Jason hooks an arm around Eddie’s waist, pulling them closer together, and Eddie mews softly into his mouth.

  He doesn't know what to do with his hands, so he flutters them anxiously up and down Jason’s back, searching for something to grab onto. Jason breaks the kiss for a moment, breathing hot against Eddie's lips, then closes in for more, kissing him deep and wet. Eddie ps delicately against Jason’s tongue with his own, until Jason pulls back again, this time for good.

  “Your lips are so cold, Eddie,” he ughs, “I thought my tongue was gonna get stuck.”

  “It’s the freezer,” Eddie says numbly. What the hell else is there to say? His lips are still cold, but they're tingling now, where Jason's hot mouth has warmed them up. A million half-formed thoughts whirl around his head but nothing sticks except that was nice.

  “I figured,” says Jason, and smiles, “So I'll see you prom night?”

  Eddie gres up at him, “I never said I liked it.”

  Jason ughs and moves in, cupping his hands to Eddie's soft cheeks. Eddie's lips part slowly.

  “So I'm just meant to spend prom night by myself? No pretty girl to take care of me?” Jason breathes, puppy dog eyes shining.

  His thigh presses against the wet heat between Eddie’s legs and Eddie whimpers.

  “It's senior prom,” Jason murmurs, “Only losers spend the night alone.”

  His breath is warm against Eddie’s tingling lips.

  “You wouldn't do that to me, right?” Jason says.

  He rubs his thigh softly against Eddie’s crotch.

  “Fine,” Eddie sighs, “Fucking fine.”

  Jason grins and seals it with a kiss.